Top positive review

This was for me a highly interesting account of how British communist intellectuals - including the Cambridge spies - were recruited as Soviet agents in the 1930s. It sheds light on the key role played by Melita Norwood in passing over details of the cladding of uranium reactor rods (gained from her duties as secretary at research institute) which enabled the USSR to make an atomic bomb in a much shorter time than predicted by Western experts. In the 1950's I was a pupil at the school where Melita's husband Hilary Norwood was the senior science master - in fact he was my form master. So for me this account had special resonance. I can well understand that this straightforward story about the life of a very ordinary woman may lack the drama of a Le Carre novel and may not have universal appeal. However it was the very fact that Melita Norwood appeared to lead such an ordinary life that made her such a successful spy.

Top critical review

I found this book rather disappointing, especially considering the author's closeness to his subject. Despite its title, the actions and analysis of the motivations of Melita Norwood make up only a small part of this book, mostly in the introduction and the final chapter. Most of the book covers more general information about disputes within early revolutionary and communist movements, or technical details about research for and the construction of nuclear weapons. The former is quite interesting, and a reminder of the very different attitudes of those times compared to later cold war assumptions; the latter technical details are dry and could usefully have been put into an appendix. This Kindle edition lacked the illustrations that are, I understand, in the paper version, and the endnote links did not work properly.

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

I found this book rather disappointing, especially considering the author's closeness to his subject. Despite its title, the actions and analysis of the motivations of Melita Norwood make up only a small part of this book, mostly in the introduction and the final chapter. Most of the book covers more general information about disputes within early revolutionary and communist movements, or technical details about research for and the construction of nuclear weapons. The former is quite interesting, and a reminder of the very different attitudes of those times compared to later cold war assumptions; the latter technical details are dry and could usefully have been put into an appendix. This Kindle edition lacked the illustrations that are, I understand, in the paper version, and the endnote links did not work properly.

There was a problem loading the comments at the moment. Please try again later.

This was for me a highly interesting account of how British communist intellectuals - including the Cambridge spies - were recruited as Soviet agents in the 1930s. It sheds light on the key role played by Melita Norwood in passing over details of the cladding of uranium reactor rods (gained from her duties as secretary at research institute) which enabled the USSR to make an atomic bomb in a much shorter time than predicted by Western experts. In the 1950's I was a pupil at the school where Melita's husband Hilary Norwood was the senior science master - in fact he was my form master. So for me this account had special resonance. I can well understand that this straightforward story about the life of a very ordinary woman may lack the drama of a Le Carre novel and may not have universal appeal. However it was the very fact that Melita Norwood appeared to lead such an ordinary life that made her such a successful spy.

There was a problem loading the comments at the moment. Please try again later.

A lot about the Lawn Road flats, not so much about Melita, very interesting about the link with Red Sonia. The actual content of the stuff she sent to the Russians is still unknown, but would have attracted a long sentence at the time, and should have done then. Se was a very competent spy, hence little is known what she actually did, hence the comment that she was not a big one, quite the opposite: the quiet ones are the most risky.

There was a problem loading the comments at the moment. Please try again later.

Found this book very interesting in how this lady completely hoodwinked the establishment to hand over vital information to a foreign power so easily, and not even be suspected until many years later. If there was any suspicion, and apparently there had been chances, it seemed to have been disregarded, so she could carry on with her activities.She appeared to be the typical suburban housewife and mother, leading a normal life rather than any sort of agent passing on information to anybody else, until it was disclosed many years later when she was in her 80's despite previous info that either wasn't acted on, or was disregarded, possibly by another agent who was established in a high level of Security, so allowing her to continue her life.

There was a problem loading the comments at the moment. Please try again later.

This book is more than the diary of a suburban housewife but pretty much a history of communism and how it grew as an extreme political organisation in Great Britain and the somewhat odd way it was viewed, and flourished in our ownsecurity service. It is very enlightening, possibly even more than Chapman Pincher and Peter West.

There was a problem loading the comments at the moment. Please try again later.

The story is fascinating and well worth reading, but it has to be said that it is poorly written, and quite pedestrian. However, it does explain how it was possible for a significant period in the forties and fifties that so many people in this country were persuaded by the attractions and persuasions of communist socialism to put that loyalty above that to their own country.

There was a problem loading the comments at the moment. Please try again later.

As an account of this woman's history it was moderately interesting and I learnt quite a bit about politics between the wars. But there was no sense of the threat or excitement involved in being a spy at that time or afterwards.Interesting but easy to put down for a while.

There was a problem loading the comments at the moment. Please try again later.

This is a detailed, research led writing. fascinating story which was surprising as much as it was alarming. somewhat dry narrative which encompasses a whole history or the intelligence services through the second world war up to date. This is an intriguing read overall.